The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) joins with EveryLibrary in calling for the swift confirmation of Dr. Colleen J. Shogan, the presidential nominee to be the next Archivist of the United States (AOTUS).
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is entrusted by law to keep and maintain open and equal access to government records by all citizens while safeguarding their integrity. Throughout her career and in her recent confirmation testimony, Dr. Shogan has demonstrated her commitment to NARA’s mission and support of democratic principles, ideals, and governance through the critical work of the agency.
The archival community agrees that “effective management of federal government records is both essential to its operation and key to ensuring its accountability and transparency.” CoSA also states that “a full representation of our nation’s history is not possible without a strong collaborative relationship between the national and state archives to ensure that the records essential to our republic and its constituent parts are adequately managed, preserved, and accessible.” On September 28, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs failed to report favorably on Dr. Shogan’s nomination. The full Senate now has the opportunity to confirm the AOTUS nomination so that Dr. Shogan can continue the critical work of NARA.
Contact your Senators today to urge a swift confirmation.